Scribosphere Carnival #4 – Advice

The Scribosphere Carnival is a weekly discussion from a variety of screenwriting blogs around a rotating theme.

Emily Blake over at Bamboo Killers has posted this week’s Scribosphere Carnival topic which is ADVICE.

The topic for this week’s Scribosphere Carnival is one I’m not entirely prepared for in the grand scheme of things. Compared to the others, I’m the new guy. I’m greenhorn. I’m “aspiring.” Emily’s post about what to do with your screenplay is pretty killer and you can bet I’ve taken a lot of that to heart. Michael’s follow-up is also pretty great and dispenses the important advice of “keep writing!”

So, what’s next on the advice checklist?

BE REALISTIC

Early on I had quite the romantic notion of writing for film and what that entailed. Tried my hand at writing a film of my own and producing it using the tools at my disposal. Thought I was hot shit. Premiered my stuff at a local theater, and realized I was mistaken. I went to film school where they reignited and reinforced my romantic ideas about the craft. Started thinking that I was hot shit once again, but this time with an extra helping of ego on the side.

Feedback on my script? They just don’t “get it.”

The jokes and references that they missed? Obviously their problem and not mine.

Pitches? Meetings? Nah, my work will speak for itself.

That Tarantino guy? Psh. Can’t even follow the screenplay format.

I look back on a lot of these thoughts of mine and get downright embarrassed. There was such an unrealistic view of screenwriting up there in my noggin and I bought into it 100%. I’m sure you can guess what happened next. I moved to LA and no one gave a damn.

That was the wake up call I needed to get realistic about this thing. If I wanted to get serious about this whole writing thing, I was going to have to buckle down and write, write, write. I was going to have to start meeting and pitching and getting my hustle on if I wanted to get anywhere. No one was going to hold my hand and usher me through the gates of Tinsel Town. No one was going to just be at the ready with a contract handy.

I’d have to start at the beginning. I’d have to *gasp* get a “real” job for awhile.

Am I anywhere close to being that screenwriter I was destined to be? Not yet by a long shot. I’ve only been here in LA for a few years, and have only recently gotten realistic about all of this. My biggest advice to offer – as someone at the bottom of the totem pole – is to keep it real. Don’t get wrapped up in the romance and hustle your ass off.